Friday, July 29, 2011

I was discussing making decisions with a friend yesterday. She was having trouble with a important choice she had to make. Decisions are much more difficult than the actual doing. I said my problem for the day was deciding which cupcake to paint. "Cake Crumbs" oil on gallery-wrap canvas 8"x 6."
Available atRichard Danskin Galleries
The contraption at the right is the light "tent" I use to photograph my little oils if I can't find a good spot without glare. It really comes in handy. It also came with two spot lights with glare filters. I got it at a camera store.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

This is a companion piece to "In Line for Pie." It's another one that I had painted awhile ago and decided to redo. I enlarged the apple and punched up the color. It's nice to know that even after painting for so many years you can still improve. I think I'm seeing color and composition better. It sure helps to paint every day. Amazing....practice actually does lead to better work :-} "Chocolate Apples" 6"x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas. Available at Daily Paintworks.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Update.....I've removed the birds. I like it much better. Sometimes you take a risk and it's spectacular. Sometimes it doesn't work out. I could never have removed the birds if I hadn't used 300# paper. The Paynes Grey that I used on them was very staining. I really had to scrub. It would have put a hole in #140 paper.

The top watercolor "Waiting for Breakfast" 21" x 18" is the class demo I started several months ago and finally finished this week. It took about 25 hours to paint. I added the gulls as an afterthought and wish I had left them off. I liked it better without them. I already removed about 4 birds and may just wash off the whole ocean and redo it. The second scene is from the same docks in Punte del Este, Uruguay. It is a full sheet 22"x 30" on Arches 300# cold press worked wet in wet that with drawing and painting took a total of two hours. I show the reference photo on the right to give you an idea of the scene I was trying to capture. So, which is better? Which is worth more? The one that took more time or the quick, loose painting? I don't think the amount of time spent has anything to do with how much a painting is worth. Personally, I like the loose one better. I think it's fresher, and certainly was more fun to paint. It's so difficult for me to loosen up, but it's so much fun.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Oddly enough, the day I post "Mostly Sunny" it's actually cloudy here today. It's always sunny here. I just had to do one more sunflower. Well, there will probably be more in the future. I actually ran out of 6"x 8" canvases, so this is an 8"x 10" What a wonderful relief to have a big box from Dick Blick arrive yesterday filled with 50 new canvases ready to paint. This is oil on gallery-wrap canvas. Available at Daily Paintworks

Thursday, July 21, 2011

This was one of the first mini oils I ever did. Originally, it was done very quickly with very crude, noticeable brush strokes, and the apples were smaller. I never really liked it and decided to rework it. I enlarged the apples and smoothed the brushwork to a much more refined treatment. I'm happy with it now. "In Line for Pie" oil on gallery-wrap canvas, 8"x 6" Available at Daily Paintworks SOLD

I didn't realize that I was lucky to get a center column. I thought when you clicked on your name you were put front and center. Not so. ALSO!....if you click on the Honorable Mention section a pdf will come up. Another of my paintings "Sunny Day Cherries" is there. Scroll down to page 24 to see it. I didn't even know I got an honorable mention until I saw the show catalog.

Friday, July 15, 2011

I'm working on several pieces at the moment, but thought I'd at least post this one for anyone having chocolate cravings. I'm so glad I took all these pix previously so I'm not forced to eat this stuff. It would be such a hardship. "Love Reese's to Pieces" oil on gallery-wrap canvas 6"x 8" available at Daily Paintworks

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The buyer of my grape painting bought two others and asked if I had any lemons. I quickly painted one yesterday and he bought this also. He's going to send me a picture of them hanging when he gets them all. This one's still freshly wet. "Lemon Fresh Scent" oil on canvas 6"x 8" SOLD

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Talk about chocolate overload. You'd definitely need a glass of milk with this one. I took this photo quite awhile ago. I don't remember eating this cupcake. Maybe I was so buzzed by all that chocolate my mind just became a blur. Or, maybe I just threw it away. I'll never know. Oil on gallery-wrap canvas, 8'x6" Available through Richard Danskin Galleries. Contact gallery to purchase.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

The original of this was a watercolor, full-sheet 22"x 30." It won Best of Show in the Coachella Valley Watercolor Society show two years ago and sold in the first hour of the show. This was one of those for me that I kinda hated to see go. I decided to have some fun and do a small quick oil in it's memory. "Painted Poppies II", oil on gallery wrap canvas 8"x10" available at Daily PaintworksFollow up on my grapes that sold on eBay last week..... The buyer loves it and told me today he's bidding on two more for companions and hint, hint would like a "lemon." Guess I'd better go paint some lemons.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

I love painting olives. Some paintings are a struggle and some are a breeze. These olives were fun! I've painted these before, but was drawn to paint them again with a more muted color palette. When I first began painting I always worked from life. With the advent of digital photography and home printing I switched to working from photos. Painting from life feels more authentic. This time while using the photo as a composition reference I set out olives to view for color. It was great having the olive smell in the room. It made the painting feel more real. Upon completion I ate the olives...yum. Available at Daily Paintworks

Friday, July 8, 2011

Since Health Magazine lists McDonald's ice cream cone as a good lo-cal dessert at only 150 calories I think it's a good choice for a summer treat. "Summer Treat II" oil on canvas, 8 x 6" available at Daily Paintworks

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Eighteen of my paintings have been selected for an art-in-public-places display. Two will be placed in CA State Senator Juan Vargas' 40th district Indio office..."Madison Street Produce" which is a vegetable stand in the district and "Hot as a Heartbeat" (Camaro). Sixteen other paintings representing various scenes and produce from the area will hang next door in the Enterprise Zone office. My work was chosen by Bill Schinsky the Director of ArtsOasis which is a non-profit, community-based initiative that promotes the visibility and growth of the creative communities in our area. I'm thrilled and honored to be selected for this display.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

I found an envelope in the street awhile ago filled with my neighbor's income tax papers. It had fallen off the roof of her car as she was on the way to the accountant. She was rather panicked, needless to say, and was so grateful I had found them that she sent me this lovely bouquet of flowers. Now, I'm the grateful one. "Gratitude" oil on canvas 8" x 10" available at Daily Paintworks

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

I'm trying to loosen up and do work that's a bit less detailed. Many of the paintings that I really admire have extremely loose brushstrokes. Not as easy at it looks. Seems it takes a lot of effort to look effortless. One of my favorite quotes is Thomas Jefferson's "If I had more time I'd write shorter letters." I think that translates to painting, also :-} "Rustic Roses" oil on canvas 8"x 6" available at Daily Paintworks

Monday, July 4, 2011

This is another that I started for a demo. Finally finished it yesterday. Feels good to complete work that has been waiting in the wings. I have a few more I will tackle this week. "Sunset Rose" watercolor on 300# Arches cold press, 11 x 9" available on my website DianeMorganPaints.com

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Okay, so this is my third sunflower in 10 days. I'm in the mood. Plus, the first one sold so maybe more will follow. Went back to the watercolor piece I had started in one of my demos and decided to finish it yesterday. Getting back to watercolor was like being with an old friend. Felt good. I was afraid for a minute that I might have forgotten how. So nice not to have to wear latex gloves or breathe paint fumes while painting as I do with my oils. "Sunkissed" watercolor on #300 Arches cold press, 9x9" available at Daily Paintworks

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Some paintings are a breeze to paint. This was not one of them. Took forever. Some people just suggest a flower petal with one stroke. Me, I've gotta do it the hard way....outline the shape, put on base color, create the shadow, blend, highlight, rework, blend some more. One of these days I'll learn to paint faster. "Sunworshippers" 8 x 6" oil on gallery-wrap canvas available at Daily Paintworks.